Is Luis Suarez ready for the Clasico cauldron?

El Clasico is always a point of intrigue regardless of the form Barcelona and Real Madrid are in.

As it happens, both teams are in good form with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo racking up the goals. But let's throw a returning Luis Suarez into the equation.

It will be the former Liverpool striker's first competitive match since he sank his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder at the World Cup.

"When you're as erratic as Luis Suarez is prone to being, having him sitting on the bench desperate to start in a Clasico might be asking too much of his temperament after this ban," said our European football correspondent Graham Hunter.

"But it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that Rakitic, Xavi and Mascherano play in midfield, Iniesta plays left wing with Messi and Neymar."

He also sees an improvement in a more consistent Neymar and the Brazilian's potentially potent partnership with Messi, although he thinks the Argentine is missing more chances and is a level below his best.

Graham believes Real Madrid have begun to deal with balls into the box more effectively than they had been, and makes them slight favourites given their imperious recent form.

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